15-May-2005 --
LONELY AND DESERTIC 38S 65 W
From Gral Acha City, early in the morning, because in the evening we have to be working, near Pichi Mahuida place at 100 km to the south, we went to our new DC: 38S 65W.

We chose to go by routes 152, 13 and 28. On route 13, we crossed parallel 38 at approximately 30 km to the west of the confluence. When we drove along Route 28 we saw many partridges (“perdices”) (They would be delight of hunters: we only took photographs). After 30 km we arrived to 65 meridian, where we were at 7.7 km south of the DC. Goods news: parallel to a fence to the north, a firewall (track in the camp without big bushes to avoid fires) led us to the DC 38S 65W. So, we entered in the camp with our 4WD Suzuki for about 5 km. Small but dangerous bushes with big spikes threatened our tires, difficulting our progress.

Once reduced the distance to DC at 2.7 km, we found fences that didn’t allowed us to pass. There, we got out of our vehicle and we went to a near house, where two people didn’t understand anything about two crazy man that appeared by an unusual access in this lonely place instead of doing it by the main gate of La Sara Ranch, name of the camp.

They were Ignacio and Victor, peasants that lived there. Without expectation we explained our purpose of hunting DC but for our surprise, Ignacio knew something about GPS and he understood us although he mistrusted us. In these places, it’s not normal to meet people looking for intersections of meridians and parallels, far away of the common roads.

We continued talking with them, and as the conversation went on they realized that we were trustworthy, and that our only target was to hunt confluences and that we weren’t illegal hunters. They invited us to have a rest with them eating “tortas fritas” and drinking “mate”. Little by little the mistrust disappeared, so then they proposed to help us to reach the confluence, but only if we had more time another day, because the track would possibly be closed by a closed forest, being necessary to trespass it with axes and machetes: at least 2 hours of work.

It seemed to us a good idea, so we arranged to meet them soon, and promising them to come back the next time with the necessary things to make a barbecue with good re wine. Knowing we were about to reach the confluence, we left La Sara Ranch, firmly decided to complete the visit another day.